The Milwaukee 48-73-5161 Class 2 Surveyor's High Visibility Safety Vest is a yellow small/medium surveyor-style safety vest built for workers who need high visibility and real storage on the job. This is a safety vest designed for high-visibility jobsite work around traffic and heavy machinery. Model 48-73-5161 uses ANSI Type R Class 2 construction and adds the kind of pocket layout that makes sense for survey crews, utility work, and general construction instead of giving you a basic vest with nowhere to put your gear.

The big selling point here is capacity. Milwaukee built this vest with 27 pockets, including a rear tablet pocket with dual-sided access, a clear ID holder, seven internal pockets, a water-resistant pocket, and dual water bottle pockets. That matters if you carry markers, flags, pens, notepads, small hand tools, hearing protection, or a tablet during layout and inspection work. A vest like this saves trips back to the truck and keeps the stuff you use all day within reach.

Durability is another reason this one stands out. The shell uses woven 600D tear-resistant polyester, and Milwaukee reinforces the pockets and edges with an added layer of 600D material. In plain terms, that means the high-wear spots are built to take abuse from daily use, loaded pockets, and constant contact with the rest of your gear. For a surveyor's vest, that is a lot more useful than a lightweight disposable feel.

Comfort is handled well too. The fabric is moisture-wicking to help you stay cooler and dry faster during long shifts, and it is treated to help prevent odor and bacteria build-up. Milwaukee also adds a padded collar, which is one of those details you appreciate after a full day when a loaded vest starts pressing into your neck. The dual quick internal size adjustment helps the fit stay workable whether you are wearing it over a T-shirt in warm weather or over heavier layers in colder months.

From a jobsite practicality standpoint, the vest uses a heavy-duty zipper closure and includes a fall protection pass-through. That pass-through matters for workers who need to wear harness gear without fighting the vest. It also has dedicated hearing protection storage and a clear ID holder with hook-and-loop closure, which fits the way a lot of crews actually work on commercial sites, road jobs, and utility projects.

Milwaukee recommends this Class 2 high visibility vest for environments with traffic traveling under 50 miles per hour or around heavy machinery. That makes it a solid fit for construction crews, road construction, traffic direction, utility crews, and survey crews. If you just need a cheap vest for occasional use, this is probably more vest than you need. If you wear one every day and expect it to carry tools and hold up, this one makes a lot more sense.

Milwaukee 48-73-5161 Class 2 Surveyor's High Visibility Safety Vest Gets The Jobsite Details Right

This is the kind of high visibility vest that makes sense for guys who wear one all day, not just for a site walk.

• Who it's for: Survey crews, utility crews, road crews, and contractors who need ANSI Class 2 visibility plus enough storage to keep daily gear on their body.
• Why it stands out: The 27-pocket layout, 600D tear-resistant build, padded collar, and fit adjustment make it feel more like work gear and less like a basic compliance vest.
• Worth knowing: This is a small/medium vest, so sizing matters. It is also built to carry a lot, which is great if you use the storage and overkill if you just need minimal visibility coverage.

• What ANSI rating does this vest have? It is rated ANSI Type R Class 2.
• What size range does this version fit? This 48-73-5161 vest is size Small/Medium and fits a 38 in to 42 in chest.
• How many pockets does it have? It has 27 pockets, including internal pockets, a rear tablet pocket, a clear ID holder, and dual water bottle pockets.
• Can it be used with fall protection gear? Yes. It includes a fall protection pass-through.